Forget the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series, the reborn Mitsubishi Pajero is reportedly set to dial up the luxury, making it more of a rival for the Lexus LX and LandRover Defender, according to new reports.
That's the latest from the States, where - as reported by CarsGuide - local media have begun forecasting just what will be powering the new model, with CarScoops claiming the Pajero will use a version of the Outlander's 2.4-litre plug-in petrol powertrain, albeit with the kilowatts dialled right up via its twin electric motors.
The site points to the Pajero offering a LC300-humbling 285kW, presumably from a combination of engine tuning and more powerful electric motors, significantly more than the Outlander PHEV's 135kW and 245Nm. That figure also out-shines the 227kW offered by the LandCruiser, though there's no word yet on how the Mitsubishi's torque will compare to the 700Nm on offer from the Toyota.
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But that's not all that's reportedly planned for the new model, with the same site claimning the Pajero will be a true flagship, dialling up the luxury trim and features to a premium level.
CarScoops points to the model building on the highest Outlander grades, combining its rugged capabilities with luxury cabin appointments like a mutli-tiered, leather wrapped dash, sizeable screens in front of the driver and in the centre of the cabin, wireless phone connectivity, a voice assitant, OTA updates and plenty of active safety kit. What's more, that luxurious cabin experience is set to cross all three rows, with the seven-seat large SUV keen to play in a more premium field.
All of that joins proper off-road kit like front and rear locking e-differentials, and dynamic torque vectoring, while the plug-in powertrain will give the Pajero the unique ability to travel in full EV mode off-road.
As reported, Mitsubishi in Australia recently told CarsGuide that a large SUV is coming, though the brand globally is yet to confirm details of what to expect. On that note, Mitsubishi is yet to confirm the model, or the international reports.
“Mitsubishi Motor Corporation announced its line up for the next couple of years… and under the shroud there’s a large SUV in there. So the reality is yes, we have publicly announced, effectively, that we are studying a vehicle in that space,” Mitsubishi Australia CEO, Shaun Westcott, has told CarsGuide.
“I cannot tell you what it is, what it looks like, what the powertrain is, whether there’s a ladder frame, whether there’s monocoque. I cannot give you any of that information other than to say that Mitsubishi has announced that we are working on a large SUV."
Asked whether the brand in Australia would retain the Pajero nameplate for a future large SUV, Mr Westcott told us he'd "love to".
"I have put up my hand and said we would love to have one because it's a very valuable nameplate, because it is a fantastic product, because it's a halo product," Mr Westcott said.
"For all of the above reasons, we would love to have one here."
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